Chrysanthemum plant named Julia

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Julia particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type, with 4 to 5 rows of ray florets; yellow ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 50 to 60 mm when fully opened; branching pattern is spreading and prolific, with 9 breaks after pinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings and 5 to 7 breaks when grown in 10 cm pots for spring flowerings; natural season flower date of August 23 to September 3 when planting rooted cuttings on June 21 to 25 in Salinas, Calif., and October 3 to 10 when planting rooted cuttings June 11 to June 18 in Hightstown, N.J.; flowering response of 46 to 49 days after rooting in no light/no shade programs in spring in Salinas; plant height of 23 to 30 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength with no growth regulators in New Jersey, and 13 to 18 cm when grown in 10 cm pots in spring with no growth regulator applications; and recommended for spring and late season fall variety.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Julia.

Julia, identified as 8783 (90-67005) was originated from an openpollination program, where the best breeding lines were selected byCornelis P. VandenBerg, flowered under controlled conditions outdoorsand left to be pollinated by bees, in Salinas, Calif. in September 1989.

The female parent of Julia was an unnamed seedling identified as 9430(88336001), and described as a garden mum having yellow ray floret colorand daisy capitulum type. The female parent was discarded from allprograms in November 1990.

The male parent of Julia is unknown, since the female parent of Juliawas open pollinated.

Julia was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Cornelis P. VandenBerg in November 1990,in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Julia was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in January1991 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by techniciansworking under supervision of Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Julia are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Julia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment suchas temperature, light intensity and daylength, without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in controlled open areas in Salinas, Calif., and in Hightstown,N.J. Rooted cuttings were established in soil and maintained outdoorsunder the natural temperature and daylength prevailing during Junethrough October. Spring flowerings were conducted in Salinas, Calif.under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial greenhouse practice for small pot spring garden mumproduction.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Julia, which, in combination, distinguishthis Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type, with 4 to 5 rows of ray florets.

3. Yellow ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 50 to 60 mm when fully opened.

5. Branching pattern is spreading and prolific, with 9 breaks afterpinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings and5 to 7 breaks when grown in 10 cm pots for spring flowerings.

6. Natural season flower date of August 23 to September 3 when plantingrooted cuttings on June 21 to 25 in Salinas, Calif., and October 3 to 10when planting rooted cuttings June 11 to June 18 in Hightstown, N.J.

7. Flowering response of 46 to 49 days after rooting in no light/noshade programs in spring in Salinas.

8. Plant height of 23 to 30 cm when grown in fall under naturaldaylength with no growth regulators in New Jersey, and 13 to 18 cm whengrown in 10 cm pots in spring with no growth regulator applications.

9. Recommended for spring and late season fall variety.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andleaf characteristics of Julia, with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Julia grown as a pinched garden mumunder natural season outside in Salinas, Calif. Plants were grownoutside and dug and transplanted into 15 cm bulb pans at flowering timefor photography purposes.

Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph of three views of theinflorescence of Julia.

Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the upper and undersides of the leaves of Julia at 3 stages of development (mature,intermediate and immature). In sheets 2 and 3 a measuring tape incentimeters has been added.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Julia is the cultivar identified as Anna, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,847. Reference is made to attached Chart A, whichcompares certain characteristics of Julia to the same characteristics ofAnna.

Similar traits are ray floret color, capitulum form and branchingpattern. Julia has a daisy capitulum type, while Anna has a spooneddaisy capitulum type, with Julia having a higher number of ray floretsthan Anna. When compared with Anna, Julia has a smaller diameter ofcapitulum, a later natural season flower date in the fall, an earliercontrolled response in spring flowerings and shorter plant height inboth spring and fall flowering than Anna.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a pinched garden mum grown outdoors in Salinas,Calif. on Aug. 24, 1993.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Julia.

Commercial.--Flat daisy spray pot mum and garden mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--50 to 60 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Yellow.

Color (upper surface).--9A.

Color (under surface).--7B.

Shape.--See photograph.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--14B.

Color (immature).--151A.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; moderate pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--Plant height of 23 to 30 cm when grown in fall under naturaldaylength in New Jersey with no growth regulators, and 13 to 18 cm whengrown in 10 cm pots in spring with no growth regulator applications.

Branching pattern.--Spreading, with 9 breaks after pinch when grownoutside under natural daylength in fall flowerings and 5 to 7 breakswhen grown in 10 cm pots for spring flowerings.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--See photograph.

    ______________________________________                                        CHART A                                                                                     JULIA      ANNA                                                 ______________________________________                                        Ray floret color                                                                              Yellow       Yellow                                           Capitulum form and type                                                                       Flat daisy   Flat spooned                                                                  daisy                                            Diameter across face of                                                                       50 to 60 mm  57 to 76 mm                                      capitulum                                                                     Branching pattern                                                                             Spreading and                                                                              Spreading and                                                    prolific     prolific                                         Natural season flower date:                                                   in Salinas, CA  Aug 23 to Sep 3                                                                            Aug 16 to 25                                     in Hightstown, NJ                                                                             Oct 3 to 10  Sep 17 to Oct 1                                  Controlled response                                                                           46 to 49 days                                                                              49 to 53 days                                    Plant height:                                                                 in natural season fall                                                                        23 to 30 cm  30 to 36 cm                                      in 10 cm pots spring                                                                          13 to 18 cm  18 to 20 cm                                      COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN UNDER                                        NATURAL SEASON OUTDOOR CONDITIONS IN                                          SALINAS, CALIFORNIA AND IN HIGHTSTOWN, NEW                                    JERSEY AND IN SPRING FLOWERING PROGRAMS IN                                    SALINAS, CALIFORNIA                                                           ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Julia, asdescribed and illustrated.